Typewriting machine



May 1, 1928. 1,668,176

B. c. S'II'ICKNEY I TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed latch 24. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmt.

Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

BURNHAM G. STIGKNEY, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD ELLIOTT FISHERCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.JY., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

Application filed March 24, 1925. sfifirial Nd. 17,871.

.Acoording to this invention, continuous forms, such asused in an Underwood fanfold .machine, can be handled and typed upon in a standard Underwood machlne withlittle or no alteration thereof. It will be understood, however, that the device herein disclosed may also be used in connection with any other typewriting machine of the front-str1ke type.

One of the features of, this invention relates to the provision of means for facilitat ing the handling of continuous forms in a standard Underwood typewriting machine. Another feature of this invention relates to the provision of a chutethrough which the web is inserted to control it during the typing and cutting-01f operations.

Still another feature is the provision of an adjustable side gage for aligning and laterallypositioning the web. 6 a

A further feature is the provision of a novel severingdevice or knife.

The web is usually printed witha succession of similar forms, and-is inserted bottom :endfirst around the front of the platen and the bottom form on the web is typed. Then the, web is withdrawn and the carbons are strippedfnom the typed form, and the latter then severed from the web, whereupon the web is reinserted at the front of the machine preparatory tov typingthe next form.

The carbons are retained b their rear ends by means of a set of ho ding blades, which are mounted upon the .t pewritercarriage. The carbons a're'inter eaved be tween the plies of work-web and extend from the carbon-holder down in front of the platen and back under the same. As the platen is revolved .at the line-spacing operations, the composite web idly forms a loop between theplaten and the carbonholder. Upon the completion of the typing of a form, the composite web isfdrawn out of the machine, and then extended forwardly in a straight line from the carbonholder, thereby straightening out the sheets, and then the forward tips of the web-plies are grasped and said plies are pulled forwardly while the carbons remain stationary; this having the effect of separating the carbons fromthe typed forms and presentingv them to fresh forms 011 the web. Then the web is reintroduced into the machine at the delivery side of! the platen and the typed form is torn off, whereupon the Web is guided down to the front of the platen and around under the same, preparatdry to typing the next form.

In order to facilitate the handling of continuous forms, there is provided a bracket attachable to the end plates of the carriageframe of the typewriting machine, and carrying at its upper end'a paper-table over which the webs may be fed and interleaved with carbon-sheets. The pack may then be inserted downwardly between guides carried by the bracket, and down into the machine at the front of the platen to thepost tion of the first line of writing. After the first set of forms have been typed upon, the

whole pack is removed from the machine and the webs are drawn forward, thereby stripping the carbons from the printed forms and simultaneously interleaving them with the next set of forms to be typed. The whole pack is then reinserted between the guide-plates, the printed forms severed and the pack inserted around the platen for the printing of the next set of forms.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional View, in elevation, showing the invention applied to an Underwood standard typew-riting ma chine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, in elevation, showing the web being inserted, around the platen, at the introductory side thereof.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, in elevation, showing the web in a position to rea rear paper-table 11, and then between carhon-holding blades 12, and drawn forwardly between interleaving sheets of carbon-paper 13 fast to the blades 12. The

llU

' a 20, shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 1,

is inserted, leading edge first, down a chute 21. The chute comprises a front plate 22 and a rear plate 23 separated by a block 24, and the whole is fast by means of rivets 25 to two inwardly-extendin ears 26 which form an integral part of the supporting brackets 14.

The leading edge of the interleaved web 20 is then gripped, as shown in Figure 2,

" and is pushed down the front side of the platen, and under the platento co-operate with the feed-rolls, which may at this point be rendered effective to feed the web rearwardly, as shown in Figure 3, in which the web is in a position to receive the first line of typing thereon, by the action of the types 27.

Successive lines of typing may be printed upon the web, and successively the web is line-spaced while forming an idle loop 28,

shown in Figure 3.

Upon completion of the typing of a form, the interleaved web is drawn out of the machine and is extended forwardly in a straight line from the carbon-holders to straighten out the sheets, and then the web is gripped by its leading edge, and is pulled forwardly while the carbons remain stationary, to thus separate the carbons from the typed forms and to present fresh forms to the carbonsheets.

Due to the translucent nature of the paper used in this kind of webs, it is possible to see a. dark portion forming a contrasting line 29 where t 1e carbon-papers interleave the webs, which line may be matcl1ed.with a line 30 printed upon the form. In this manner the web is pulled forwardly away from the carbon-holders until the line on the form coincides with the leading edge of the carbonpapers.

The interleaved web is then reinserted down the chute 21, and is pushed downwardly until a second line 31 printed on the web appears past a knife-edge 32, which may form an integral part of the front plate 22. Then the web is held with one hand over the rear plate 23 of the chute 21, and the typed forms are torn off against the knife.

After the severing of the typed forms, the fresh section of the web is reinserted in the machine at the front of the platen and around the same for the typing of the forms.

In order to facilitate the insertion of the leading edge of the web between the platen and a guide-plate 33, a deflector 34, such as shown in the atent to J. A. B. Smith, No. 1,402,804, of J zinuary 10, 1922, may be used. The deflector 34 is fastened to brackets 35 and 36 by means of screws 37, and the brack ets are in turn secured at 38 to the machine'- frame 39.

Before inserting the interleaved web into the machine, it is desirable to first align the sheets. For this purpose, there is provided a gage-bar 40 slidably mounted between the plates 22 and 23. The bar 40 has an upwardly-projecting lug 41 which fits into a slot 42 in the late 22. The bar is slidably adjustable in tiie slot 42, and may be held in any desired position by means of a thumbscrew 43.

Referring more particularly to Figure 5, it will be noted that the web extends over a portion of the platen only, to facilitate the front insertion of the webjaround the platen. The carriage is shown in its extreme righthand position, in which the left-hand edge of the web clears the wing-scale 44 of the machine. Said scale 44 is fast to the frame 39 by means of the screws 45, and is provided with an outward flare 46, to facilitate the engaging of the web betweenthe scale and the platen, when the carriage is letter-spaced. Inorder to position the gage 40 so that it will guide the edge of the web outside of the wing-scale when the carriage is moved to the left of the machine, the left-hand supporting bracket 14 is rovided with an inwardlycxtendin g bend 4?, to thus bring the table 11 to the right of the carriage. V

The carbon-holders are mounted upon the table in a manner indicated in Figure 6, in which there is shown spacing blocks 48 and 49, the latter being made narrower in order to permit the use of similar carbon-blades at both sides, and at the same time have them clearing one another. Upon the blocks 48 and 49, which are fast to the supporting brackets 14 by means of rivets 50, there are provided locating pins 51 fast to the blocks and extending upwardly through holes in the carbon-blades.

In order to facilitate the insertion of the interleaved webinto the chute 21, the plates 22 and 23 have their longitudinal edges flared outwardly as at 52 with the crown of both flares in horizontal alignment with the carbon-holder, the flare of the plate 23 also serving as a deflector for the webs to prevent a shearing movement of the webs and carbons across the corners of the carbon-carrying blades.

It will be noted that the carbon-carrier is fixed to a stationary part of the carriage and the holder is never disturbed except to replace exhaustcd carbon-sheets; that the'relative location of the carbon-holder to the printing area of a workweb-section'is such that when the lower carbon-fs'ectionsbecome exhausted, the exhausted 'sections may be reversed end for endwith-the upper unused carbomsections, and in this manner the whole carbon-area of the sheet or sheets may beutilized without waste; thatthis mode of operation of line-spacing the webs "and carbons OlllJ'Ol'f the machine to be subsequently straightened out to the horizontal plane of between the chute and the platen, thus re 11* dering the typed records'on the web visible to the operator and that were the rear plate 23ot the chute extended to the platen positionfto close up this gap, "the loop 28 of Figure 3 would be forced outwardly towards the operator and only a few of the typed lines would be visible.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope or the :invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: f a i 1. In a typewriting machine havinga revoluble 'platen, a platen-frame and typing instrumentalities, imeans -for presenting to the platen a web including work-plies interleav'ed with carbons in a manner to afford typing of the bottom form on' the web preparatory tosevering the typed form and presenting theynext' form to the platen, said means having, in combination, a carbon-' holder-secured as a carbon-unit to the platenframe 'to be stationary at all times relatively thereto, the plies of work-web bein threaded between the carbons, and means a jacent the front of the carbon-"holder for deflecting and guiding downwardly tothe platen, forwardly of its axis, *the leading end of the i web; the web forming an "idle loop at *the delivery side o fthe platen during the linespacing operation.

2. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, a platen-frame and typing instrumentalities, means ffor presenting to the platen a web including work-plies interleaved with carbons in a manner to atford typing-of the bottom form on the web preparatory to severing the typed form andpresenting the next form to the platcm said means having, in combination, a carbonholder secured as 'a carbOn-unittothe platenframe to be stationary at all times relatively thereto andlocated above the platen, the plies of worlvweb being threaded between the carbons, meansadjacent the front of the to the operator.

carbon-holder for deflecting and guiding downwardly to the platen, forwardly of its axis, the leading end oi the web; *the web forming an idle'loop at the delivery side of the platen during the liner-spacing opera tion, and relatively stationary means between the platen and the carbonholder {for severing the web. g

3. Inatypewritingmachine having a revolubl-e platen, a platen-frame and typing instrumcntalities, means for presenting to the platen a web including work-plies inter leaved with carbons in a manner to a fl'nrd typing of-the bottom form on the web preparatory to severin the 'typed form and presenting the :next form -to the pluten,:said means having, in combination, a carbonholder secured as a carbon-tunit to the platenframeto be stationary .at all times relatively thereto, the plies of work-web beingthreaded between the'carbons, means adjacent the frontof the carbon holder for deflecting and guiding downwardly to the platen the leatlingendot' the webg the web forming an idle the line-spacing movement'ofthe latter.

4. A typewritingcnachine includinga irevoluble platen and feed-rolls therefor, a linespacing mechanism, and means 'for deflecting an elongate web, bOlllTOlIl BIlCl first, downwardly to the platen, forwardly of its axis, to aplaten-teeding position, said means including :a chute disposed above said platen,

the lowermost'edge of the chute being spaced a sufficientdistance from the top of the platen toperi'nit the slack in the web, iproduced by the line-spacing, to form -a wearwardly extending loopof large radius so as to keep the typed portion of the web visible i 5. A typewriting machine including a platen-frame, a revoluble platen and deed rolls therefor, a line-spacing mechanism,- means for deflecting an elongate web, bottom end first, downwardly to the platen, forwardly of its axis, said means including a chute overlying saidplaten for condnct-i ingthe web prior :to its introduction into the machine, the lowermost edge of said chute being rsufiicie ntly spaced from said platen to provide a space to receivewthe slack loop in the .web between the chute and the platen during the line-spacing of the web, and means for supporting the upper portion of the web stationary, relatively to said platen, during the line-spacing movement thereof.

6. A typewriting machine including a platen-frame, a revoluble platen and feedrolls therefor, a line-spacing mechanism,

' means for deflecting a horizontally-disposed web, bottom end first, to the platen, said means including a chute overlying said platen for conducting the web prior to its introduction into the machine, means for attaching said chute to the platen-frame in a manner to form an open backless section for the web between the chute and the platen to provide for a slack loop in the web developed by the line-spacing of the web, and means for supporting the upper portion of the web stationary, relatively to said platen, during the line-spacing movement thereof.

7. A typewriting machine including a revoluble platen and feed-rolls therefor, a linespacing mechanism, and means for deflecting a horizontally-disposed web, bottom end first, to the platen, said means including a chute overlying said platen and at the rear thereof for conducting the web downward and forward towards the platen-prior to its introductioninto the machine and over a webclearance gap between the chute and the platen to enable the slack in the web during the line-spacing thereof to develop a loop that is guided within said gap.

8. In a typewriting machine having va revoluble platen, a platen-frame, a wing scale in front of the platen, and typing instrumentalities, means for presenting to the platen a web including work-plies interleaved with carbons in a manner to afford typing of the bottom form on the web preparatory to severing the typed form and presenting the next form to the platen, said means having, in combination, a carbon-holder secured as a carbon-unit to the platen-frame to be stationary relatively thereto during the linespacing operation, the plies of work-web be ing threaded between the carbons, means at the front of the platen to the right of the wing scale for guiding downwardly around the same the leading end of the web; and an introductory device being provided between said carbon-holder and the platen for guiding the bottom edge of the web to the platen said introductory device being mounted on the platen-frame.

v 9. Ina typewriting machine having a revoluble platen, a platen-frame and typing instrumentalities, means for presenting to the platen a web including work-plies interleaved with carbons in a manner to aflord typing of the bottom form on the web preparatory to severing the typed form and presenting the next form to the platen, said means having, in combination, a carbonholder secured as a carbon-unit to the platenframe to be stationary relatively thereto during the line-spacing operation, the plies of work-web being threaded between the carbons, means at the front of the carbon-holder for deflecting downwardl to the platen, forwardly of its axis, the eading end of the web; the web forming an idle loop at the delivery side of the platen during the linespacing operation, and means between the platen and the carbon-holder for severing the web, including a straight stationary knife which co-operates with the deflecting means to promote the severing of the typed web-section.

10. In a typewriting machine includin a platen-frame, a platen, feed-rolls there or,"

and a line-spacing mechanism, in combination, 'means for interleaving a continuous web with sheets of carbon-paper including a plurality of stationary carbon-holders, means for first deflecting and then guiding the interleaved web down a chute towards the front of the platen, means for'facilitating the insertion of the web at the delivery side of platen, whereby the web may be fed rearwardly around the platen t0 the initial line of print, and then line-spaced forwardly step by step as lines are typed upon-the web,

the line-spacing of the Web creating a slack in the web, and a clearance opening in the platen-frame to provide for the loop developed from the slack in the line-spaced web.

11. Ina typewriting machine including a platen, feed-rolls therefor, and a line-spacing mechanism, in combination, means for interleaving a continuous web with sheets of carbon-paper including a plurality of carbon-holders, means for first deflecting and then guidin the interleaved web down through a cl iut'e towards the front'of the platen, means for facilitating the insertion of the Web at the delivery side of'the platen, whereby the web may be fed rearwardly around the platen and thenline-spaced forwardly as lines are typed upon the web, and means for severing the web, including a knife edge forming an integral part of the chute and co-operating with the chute to promote a web-severing operation.

12. In a typewriting machine includinga platen'and feed-rolls therefor, in combination, means for interleaving a continuous web with sheets of carbon-paper including a plurality of carbon-holders to which the the interleaved web down a chute atthe front of the platen, means for facilitating 120 carbon-sheets are fast, means for guiding around the platen, said last-mentioned means includlng a shdably-mounted piece within the chute, and means for manually positioning and locking in place said slid-v slack in the typed Web to collect in a loop towards the rear of the platen.

14. Ina typewriting machine including a re-voluble platen and a platen-frame, feedrolls co-operating with said platen to feed a web interleaved with sheets of carbon, means for holdingthe sheets of carbon by theirrear ends, said means being fixed relatively to the platen, and a chute for guiding the web between the means for holding the carbons and the platen, said chute comprising a front and a rear plate, the front plate forming a cutting edge at its lowermost edge, and the rear plate serving as a backing for the web while being torn off.

15. In a typewriting machine including a revoluble platen and a platen-frame, feedrolls co-operating with said platen to feed a web interleaved with sheets ofearbon, and blades for holding the sheets of carbon by their rear ends, said blades being fixed relatively to the platen, and comprising supporting brackets fast to the platen-frame upon which the carbon-holding blades are mounted, said carbon-holding blades being manually attachable to a rear table, and the rear table being also supported by the brackets.

16. In a typewriting machine including a revolubly-mounted platen and manuallycontrollable feed-rolls therefor, in combination, means including a paper-table to guide a manifold web from a web supply at the rear of the. machine, means includingcarhon-blades for interleaving the plies of the Webs with sheets of carbon and for holding the carbons suspended by one of their ends from a fixed frame overlying the platen, means forming a part of a chute to deflect the interleaved Web down to the chute and towards the front of the platen, and means including a stationary guide for directing the insertion of'the web around the platen at the front side thereof. p V

17. In a typewriting machine including a revolubly-mounted platen and manually controllable feed-rolls therefor, in combination, means including a paper-table to guide a manifold Web from a web-supply at the rear of the machine, means including carbon-blades for mterleavmg the plies of the webs with sheets of carbon and for holding the carbonssuspended by one of their ends from a fixed frame overlying the platen,

means forming a part of a chute to deflect theinterleaved web to the chute and towards the front of the platen, means in.- cluding a stationary guide for directingthe insertion of the web around the platen at the front side thereof, means for feeding the web rearwardly to the initial typing position, and means for line-spacing the interleaved web forwardly, the Web forming an idle loop at the front side of the platen during the line-spacing operation.

18. In a typewriting machine including a revolubly-mounted platen and manuallycontrollable feed-rolls therefor, in combina tion, means'including a paper-table to guide :1:

a manifold web from a Web-supply at the rear of the machine, means including car hon-blades "for interleaving the plies ofthe webs with sheets of carbon and for holding the carbons" suspended byone of their ends from a fixed frame overlying the platen, means forming apart of a chute to deflect the interleaved web to the chute and towards the front of the platen, means in eluding a stationary guide for directing the insertion of the web around the platen at the front side thereof, means for feeding the web rearwardly to the initial typing position, and means for line-spacing the in terleaved web forwardly, the web forming an idle loop at the front side of theplaten during theline-spacing operation, the bottom of the chute being sufliciently spaced from the platen to permit the loop so formed to project rearwardly over the platen, to

render the typed record thereon visible t( the operator. 7 a

19. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen and a platen-frame, means i for presenting a work-webto the printing field bottom end first, said means including a chute forguiding the web at the front of the platen, means at the delivery side thereof for facilitating the introduction of the web, and means forming an integral partof the chute for severing the web, said last-mentioned means comprising a cutting edge at the bottom side of the chute, and a backing plate adjacent the cutting edge for supporting the web while being torn off against the cutting edge.

20. In a typewriting machine having a revoluble platen and a platen-frame, means for presenting a work-web to the printing field bottom end first, said means including a chute for guiding the Web at the front of the platen, means atthe delivery side thereof for facilitating the introduction of the web, and means forming an integral art of the chute for severing the web, Sai last-mentioned means comprising a cutting edge at the bottom side of the chute, a backing plate adjacent the cutting edge for supporting the web while being torn 01f against the cutting edge, and means for holding a plurality of interleaving carbon-sheets above the chute, said last-mentioned means comprising clamping blades fast to a supporting bracket at the ends of the platen-frame.

21. In a typewriting machine having a platen revolubly mounted on a traveling Cit-lriage and a paper-guide in front of the platen and fixed to a stationary part of the frame of the machine, centrally thereof, the combination of a carbon-holder arranged to interleave with carbons, a plurality of workplies, a chute overlying said platen and arranged to direct said plurality of work-plies t0 the forward face of the platen, said chute being mounted on said. carriage and offset to the right with respectto the center line of said carriage so that, when the carriage is at the right of the machine, the left edge of said chute will. be to the right of the right edge of said guide to permit the ready insertion of the work-plies under and rear wardly of the platen, the carbon-holder being stationary relatively to said chute, and the left edge of said holder being in line with the left edge of said chute, and an additional guide in front of the machine to facilitate such front insertion.

22. In a typewriting machine having a platen, a platen-frame, and typing and linespacing mechanism. means for directing a plurality of continuous work-plies interleaved with carbons to the forward face of said platen to be fed under and rearwardly thereof, and means for supporting the upper portions of said work-plies stationarily with respect to said platen during the line-s ace movement thereof so as to causea slack 00p to form in said work-plies between said supporting means and said platen.

23. In a typewriting machine having a platen-frame and a platen journaled therein, the combination of an enclosed chute including front and rear plates mounted on the platen-frame above said platen and disposed to direct a plurality of work-webs interleaved with carbons downwardly toward the front face of the platen to be fed rearwardly thereunder, an adjustable side gage located in said chute, the upper edges of said plates being bent away from each other, and a knife disposed at the lower edge of the chutei3 URNHAM o. STICKNEY. a r 

